Playback

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Playback

You can play back your sequence in the Light-O-Rama Sequencer. If the playback window is open, it will show a simulation of your display. The simulation is based on the preview associated with the sequence.

 

Calculating Preview

Sequence Playback

Playback in Action

 

Calculating Preview

 

When opening your sequence, the simulated preview is calculated in memory, which can take some time. A spinner will be displayed and the play buttons disabled until the calculations are complete:

 

Calculations in progress

Calculations in progress

 

Once complete, a green check mark is displayed next to the preview name. Any subsequent changes to the sequence will cause the preview for the affected props to be recalculated; the play buttons will again be temporarily disabled until the recalculation is complete.

 

Calculations complete

Calculations complete

 

 

Sequence Playback

 

Playback Using The Toolbar Buttons

 

There is a set of playback buttons on the Sequence Tab's toolbar, and another set on the Playback Window. You can use the buttons in either location to start and stop playback. These are the toolbar buttons that control sequence playback:

 

PlayAllIcon

Play the full sequence

PlayHereToEndIcon

Play from the left edge of the visible sequence grid to the end of the sequence

PlayBeginningToHereIcon

Play from the beginning of the sequence to the right edge of the visible sequence grid

PlayVisibleIcon

Play the visible portion of the sequence

PlaySelectionIcon

Play the current selection. If there is a freeform play range defined then that is played; otherwise the current grid selection (dashed yellow outline) is played.

PauseIcon

Pause playback. Press again to resume playback

StopIcon

Stop playback

RepeatPlaybackIcon

Repeat playback. This icon will have a red slash through it if repeat is disabled

PlaybackSpeed

Playback speed. Playback speeds other than normal may not be supported on some types of media files.

 

 

Playback Using The Spacebar

 

Play the sequence using the space bar

Play the sequence using the space bar

 

Sequence playback can also be started and stopped using the spacebar.

 

If playback is currently stopped, then pressing the spacebar will:

 

Play the freeform play range if one is defined, otherwise it will

Play starting with the current selection (yellow outline) and continue to the end of the sequence if a grid selection exists, otherwise it will

Play starting at the left edge of the visible sequence area and continue to the end of the sequence

 

If the sequence is playing when the spacebar is pressed, playback will be stopped and the grid column where playback was stopped will be selected. Pressing the spacebar again will restart playback at approximately the place where you had stopped it.  This can be used to effectively pause and un-pause play.

 

key-dark32-Shift

key-dark32-Spacebar

Pressing shift and spacebar together will clear any freeform play range, and then perform the same action as pressing the spacebar without the shift key.

 

 

Playback in Action

 

During playback, color samples will be displayed real-time, immediately to the right of the channel name. The color samples will be displayed for traditional channels and RGB channels. They will not be displayed for motion effect rows. A playback marker will move as play progresses. You can change the width of the color samples and the behavior of the playback marker in Playback Preferences.

 

Playback in progress

Playback in progress